With 2025 just around the corner, we’re looking to the future of legal industry trends, anticipating and planning for what’s next. While we don’t have a crystal ball, we do have 40 years of executive recruiting experience, a deep well of data, and the trust of our clients, who express their leadership needs to us as they plan for 2025 and beyond.
Managing Directors John Lamar, Amanda Brady, and John Mann, Directors Sarah Mitchell and William Lepiesza and Senior Associate Anthony Ott share their thoughts and insight on expectations and trends for 2025.
John Lamar, Managing Director, The Alexander Group
“AI continues to dominate people’s thought process in making the firm efficient and profitable. Tech is a driving force, but it’s not where it needs to be. Everyone’s doing window dressing right now, hiring chief innovation officers, but in reality, firms are buying off-the-shelf software products. That will change in the years to come.
Another trend garnering attention concerns partners getting paid ungodly amounts of money. They are offered multi-year 25- to 30-million-dollar deals. How long can the industry sustain that?
I’m hearing a lot from chairs about work-from-home. It’s interesting in Europe; they all comment that everyone’s back 100 percent; the U.S. is the only country with three days in the office. It’ll be interesting to see what happens next year. Do firms hammer the idea of return to office? Maybe you will spend four days in the office, but you won’t be sitting at home on a Monday. The associates will give them the best work in the office, but the partners are not leading. It starts with them. They are in a bit of a conundrum. People are struggling with it. You have to hit them in the pocketbook so that people can start showing up.
Mergers and Acquisition activity is not slowing down within legal as the industry continues consolidating. A few firms at the top are leading the way–and there’s more to come.
Amanda K. Brady, Managing Director/Chief People Officer, The Alexander Group
“Synthesizing data to inform strategic growth. (Some) law firms are becoming more sophisticated around coordinated growth initiatives. Business intelligence is evolving beyond the typical matter, partner, or practice profitability analysis into deep dives into all that touches firm and practice growth. It combines knowledge management on the practice side with knowledge management on the business side, merging information from CRMs, experience databases, historical financial metrics, targeted industry research, and honest assessments of the firm’s talent. It’s all data. This is most successful at firms with cultures that allow their leaders to be innovative – not business as usual, set ambitious business goals, develop corresponding growth strategies, and pull the puzzle pieces together to make things happen.”
John Mann, Managing Director, The Alexander Group
“In 2025, strategic legal recruiting functions will be crucial for law firms, as they focus on proactively identifying and recruiting top talent with specialized skills aligned with client needs.
Artificial Intelligence will continue to impact the legal industry by automating routine tasks and enabling more efficient client service. It will ultimately transform how legal professionals work and deliver value.
In 2025 and beyond, law firms will continue to build sales-focused client development teams who generate revenue much like public accounting firms and are responsible for driving business growth by developing client relationships, identifying new business opportunities, and promoting the firm’s legal services.”
Sarah Mitchell, Director, The Alexander Group
“The return to office push/pull is still strong, but law firm leaders seem to be “over” the discussion. Unlike the trends we see with technology companies and banking, very few firms seem willing to implement any mandate. They are shifting to making the office space somewhere that lawyers and business professionals want to be—not with pizza parties, but fresh, thoughtfully designed office space that feels “alive” and opportunities to connect.
Discussions around generational differences are being discussed more forthrightly, and I think it might become more pronounced in the next couple of years. We currently have four well-defined generations working together, and they each tend to have distinctive attitudes concerning technology use, adaptivity to change, RTO expectations, dress, and communication. One law firm COO mentioned they have introduced training around generational differences as part of their professional development curriculum, and it has been well received and actionable.”
Bill Lepiesza, Director, The Alexander Group
“As I consider legal industry trends for 2025, I believe we will continue to see the rise and evolution of the Chief Innovation Officer role.
We will see the further integration of firmwide talent/strategic human resources functions across lawyer and business professional populations and the continued elevation in caliber, leadership expectations, and strategic value-add of law firm business executive roles.
Anthony Ott, Senior Associate, The Alexander Group
“Each year, there is a swing of trends. I anticipate seeing more Baby Boomers retiring, and vacant leadership opportunities will be available for those who have earned a right to be in consideration.
As work-from-home policies shift, so will their impact on the candidate pool. Jobseekers will be willing to explore new industries in order to receive job title advancement and increased compensation. Similarly, law firms will look at candidates from other professional services companies outside of their industry.
We will also see people on the move to improve their quality of life. As the cost of living increases, it may encourage people to explore opportunities in new cities for a better quality of life and employment opportunities. For example, people may be able to afford larger homes less expensive in major metropolitan cities, so they move to grow their families or be open to other career opportunities.”